Frozen Shoulder

Frozen Shoulder is a medical condition in which the motion in the shoulder is restricted by severe inflammation in the capsule (the part of the shoulder containing the ligaments that hold the shoulder together) of the shoulder joint. Also known as adhesive capsulitis, frozen shoulder has three stages.

In the first stage, the ligaments that attach the shoulder bones to each other become inflamed, causing pain so severe that the patient often feels they cannot move their shoulder. The second stage is the one that the “frozen” refers to as the stiffness caused by the inflammation leads to a form of paralysis in the shoulder. Finally, the patient experiences some relief, sometimes referred to as thawing. This stage is usually gradual and leads to restored mobility in the shoulder joint…

Frozen shoulder can be indicated by many things, the most common of which are illnesses such as diabetes, thyroid disease, prior injuries to the shoulder muscle, or prior cardiac surgeries. It is important to note that this condition is not caused by these other conditions, only possibly related to them.

Treatments vary, depending on the severity of the patients’ pain. Mild pain may only require some physical therapy. More severe pain may require more extreme treatments such as pain blockers, steroid injections or medications. The worst case scenarios may require the physician to surgically manipulate the tendons to release the tension in the shoulder, thereby restoring the patient’s full range of motion.

Even with treatment, it may take up to one year for a patients shoulder to fully heal. Surgical patients may heal much faster, but only if they follow the prescribed physical therapy closely after their operation. Physical therapy may be combined with pain blockers after surgery to allow the patient to participate in the physical therapy more comfortably.

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